Invalid lifts



Sept. 24, 1963 H. l.. DALTON 3,104,399

INVALID LIFTS Filed Nov. 6, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4Z INVENTOK HENRY L. DALTON BY FULWIDR, MATTINGLY a HUNTLEY ATTORNEYS Sept. 24, 1963 H. l.. DALToN 3,104,399

INVALID LIFTs Filed Nov. e, 1961 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR. HENRY l.. DALTON BY FULWIDER MATTINGLY & HUNTLEY I ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,104,399 INVALID LIFIS Henry L. Dalton, Pico Rivera, Calif., assigner to Invalid Walker & Wheel Chair Co., Long Beach, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Nov. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 156,248 3 Claims. (Ci. 4-185) The present invention relates to invalid lifts, but more particularly to such devices which are connectible to bath tuba or other hygienic fixtures of a dwelling.

1t has been common practice to employ lift apparatus of one kind or another for transporting an invalid patient from one location to another. Such devices have generally comprised a special form of chair or support means connected to a hoist mechanism. The invalid patient is seated in the chair and is then lifted from the bed or other location. Such devices have generally been provided with wheels whereby the entire lift device is easily moved across a surface -as for instance the Hoor of a dwelling.

Frequently, such lift devices have been employed for transporting a patient to a :bath tub or like apparatus. To position the patient in the bath tub, the lift device is rolled across the floor of the dwelling to the iside of the tub. There, the seat of the lift mechanism is positioned adjacent to or over the bath tub, the patient then being lowered by the lift mechanism into the tub.

Such operations, however, have sometimes been difiicult to accomplish due to several factors. Firstly, since the entire lift dev-ice is mounted on wheels or casters any sidewise force applied to the device has caused it to move away from the position adjacent the tub. Also, it is most desirable to employ cantilever type lift mechanism on such devices, and when they 'are rotated about a vertical axis in order to position the patient over the tub, the center of gravity of the lift device is outside the base thereby creating `a tendency to tip. Needless to sa these or any other shortcomings are quite severe due to the nature of the -act 'being performed.

In view of the foregoing it is an object of the present invention to provide an invalid lift which can be firmly anchored to the side of a bath tub -or other hygienic fixture.

Another object of this invention is to provide lan invalid lift which can he so positioned relative to a bath tub that a cantilever type lift mechanism can be positioned over the tub without creating a tendency for tipping the entire device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a frame to lbe mounted on the side of a bath tub or the like, and which is adapted to iirrnly secure an invalid lift device relative thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide connecting apparatus for u-se with an invalid lift and a frame for mounting on a fbath tub, such connection apparatus affording quick attach-ment and detachment between said lift and rframe as desired.

Another object is to pro-vide connection means for operation between an invalid lift and a mounting frame therefor, said connection means being manually operable in a quick and easy manner.

Another object 4of this invention is to provide an invalid lift which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture fand which is rugged and -dependable in operation.

The novel features which I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The device itself, however, both `as to its organization and mode of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following `description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

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FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an invalid lift according to the present invention shown in ope-rating position;

FIGURE 2 is 'a fragmentary elevational view of the connection means between the lift device and the mounting frame therefor;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the pneumatic operating means `for the invalid lift;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4 4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken smbstantially along line 5 5 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 -is a fragmentary sectional top View of the connection means shown in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 7 is la fragmentary lsectional yView taken substantially along line 7-7 `of FIGURE 6 of the drawings.

Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the embodiment chosen for illustration of the present invention comprises a lift device designated generally by the numeral iti and a mounting frame identified by the numeral 12.

Lift device l@ comprises a base 14 which includes a pair of relatively movable tubular leg members 16 and 18 mounted on Wheels or casters 20. As will be readily appreciated by those persons skilled in the art, such casters are provided with suitable bearings `for frictionless lmovement of the ent-ire device as will hereinafter appear in greater detail, said casters also being so constructed as to swivel about the connection thereof to the tubular members. Such construction, of course, greatly facilitates the ease of transporting the lift device across a given surface a-s will hereinafter become more apparent. The wheels employed in the casters 2t? may be made of plastic, rubber or any other suitable material.

As shown most clearly in FIGURES 2 and 6 of the drawings, each tubular leg member 16 and 18 is connected at one end to a vertically disposed small section of tubing as shown at 22 and 24, respectively. Such sections of pipe are mov-ably mounted between a pair of connecting plates 26 and 28. An operating lever Sil having a handle portion 30a is mounted 'on upper connecting plate 26 for co-action with tubular ieg members 16 and 18. Openating lever 3d may be connected to any desired mechanism for angularly moving tubular legs 16 and .18 inwardly and outwardly as desired. A typical structure for accomplishing such movement comp-rises a calm member (not shown) attached t-o operating lever 30 and coopera-ble with a pair of actuating lugs (also not shown) operatively associ-ated with leg members 16 and i8.

For holding connection plates 26 and 28 in predetermined spaced relation as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, there is provided a tubular member 32 to which such connecting plates may be attached as by welding, soldering, braZ-ing or the like.

Within tubular member 32 is positioned a lift mechanism identified` generally with numeral 34 and comprising a vertical support 36 in the form of a hollow tubular member which telescopically lits within tubular member 32. To support this mechanism 34 within tubular member.32, there is provided a retaining plug 38 which is rotatably mounted by bearing means 4l) within the lower end portion of tubular member 32. Plug 38 is attached to the inner race of bearing 40 for rotation within tubular member 32 as the liftmechanism 34 is pivoted about a vertical axis, the latter operation to be hereinafter described in greater detail. v

The lowermost end of tube 36 is provided with a notch or opening 36a for alignment with an opening 32a in the lower portion of tubular member 32 and hence locking engagement with foot operated lever 42. Lever i2 annesse 'a a is provided with an inwardly bent linger 42a which is urged into engagement with openings 32a and 36a by a cornpression spring 44.

Mounted on either side of shaft 36 are support handles 46 and 4S affording means for moving the entire lift device 1li as will hereinaft r become more readily apparent.

Pivotally attached to the top of support member 36 as by a pivot pin Sit, is a cantilever arm 5,2 carrying a chair or support means identiiied generally with the numeral 54. A hydraulic lift mechanism 56 is interposed between lever 52 and support member 36, and comprises a tubular member :S8Y the lower end of which is attached to support member 36 and a rod 6i? Vwhich telescopically tits within tubular member 58 and has an upper end pivotally connected to a bracket 52a on cantilever arm 52.

As shown most clearly in FGURE 3 of the drawings, the lowermost end of tubular member 53 is pro-vided with a ball 53a which is insertable within a socket 62a of a bracket 62, the latter of which is secured to support member 36 by welding, brazing or the like. A retaining cap 64 is threadedly mounted on bracket 62 for retaining ball 58a within the depression or socket 62a of bracket 62.

Attached to the side of tubular member 58 as by brackets 6o and 68, is a pneumatic unit 7G having a cylinder member 72 wherein is operatively positioned a piston (not shown) which is attached relative to an actuating lever 74. Lever 74 is pivotally mounted relative to cylinder 72 and carries a handle 74a for manual operation of the lift mechanism 34 as will hereinafter become more apparent. Pneumatic tubing '76 interconnects cylinder 72 with the lowermost portion of tubular member 5?, there being suitable finger-operated valve means 78 for lowering the lift mechanism in accordance with well accepted practice.

Chair 54 is connected to one end of cantilever arm 52 by means of a Y-shaped hanger Si) having opposite end portions supporting chains 82 and 84. Suitable support means S6 and backrest means 83 are attached to chain members S2 and 84 to provide a chair-like structure for supporting an invalid patient. As will be readily apparent to those :persons skilled in the art, the particular construction of support means 54 is not critical with regard to the spirit and scope of the present invention, it being fully realized that substantially any kind of support means may be employed.

Mounting frame 12 is formed with substantially U-shaped members Stil, 92, 94 and 96. Members 90 and 92 are connected together as by welding or the like to provide an end member for frame 12, whereas U-shaped members 94 and 9d are similarly attached to each other to provide the opposite end member thereof. Horizontal braces 9? and lo@ are connected to U-shaped members 92 and 94 to provide a rigid mounting frame for straddling the side of a bath tub or other hygienic xture Within a dwelling.

Mounting means in the form of screws 192 are provided in threaded engagement with U-shaped members 96 and 95, as shown, for cooperation with the side of the bath tub. Each of such mounting screws is provided with an enlarged head having a knurled periphery to facilitate manual operation. As will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art, such mounting screws may be provided with resilient pressure pads as at 15M- to prevent scratching or marring of the side of the bath tub. ln like manner, the portion of U-shaped members 99, 92, 94 and 96 which extend within the bath tub may be provided with pressure pads to prevent marring the surface of the bathtub.

Rigidly secured to U-shaped members 9d and 92 of mounting frame 12 is a connecting bracket consisting of a vertically disposed square rod or shaft 106 and a pair of transverse end members 198 and 1l@ attached'to the opposite ends of shaft title. Members 10S and 119 are secured to U-shaped members Wand 92 by suitable y bolts 1l2 as shown inthe drawings.

A complementally shaped sleeve 114 is telescopically iitted over square shaft 1%, there being fastening screws 116 threadedly positioned within the side wall of sleeve lid for engagement with shaft 196 for adiustably positioning the connection bracket as will hereinafter appear'.v

6 for retaining connection plates 26 and 2S in assembled relative position with respect to tubular member 118. Locking pin 12o is 'provided with a manual handle 12011 and suitable stop means as at 126]?, the latter being engageable with the topmost surface of platelwhen pin 12d is droppedinto locking position as shown in solid lines in FlGURE 2 of the drawings. In this regard, the broken line in FIGURE 2 showing locking -pin 120 indicates a partially removed position.

The operation of the subject invalid lift Lift device lil, due to casters 20 on base 10, can be easily pushed across the door of a building 1by=an attendant. Due to the cantilever construction of :lift mechanism 34, the ybase 14 olf device 10 can be positioned beneath a bed or the like so that the chair or supporting means 54 orf the lit-ting device is positioned immediately adjacent the patient.

By suitable adjustment of finger screw '78, the bleed` valve I(not shown) of the lift mechanism can -be operated so as .to cause the chair or support means S4 to be lowered. After the patient has been positioned on the support means, the actuating lever 74 can be manipulated as a pump ihandle thereby causing air to be forced through tubing 76 into the lower pontion of cylindrical member 58. Such air pressure within cylindrical member 5S forces piston-like rod 60 upwardly thereby causing cantilever arm 52 to rotate upwardly alboult pivot pin 50. This action lifts the patient from the bed.

The entire lifting device 10 may then be pushed from the location of the bed to the bath tub or other hygienic fixture to be used by the patient.v With the valve controlling screw 78 rmly positioned in flow preventing position, the cantilever lift mechanism will be retained in lifted position by the air pressure within cylindrical member 58. Also, as the lifting device is pushed through doorways or other restricted openings, the tubular base members 16 and 13 can be repositioned merely by actuation of operating lever Si). That is, in order to provide maximum support it is desirable to 'have tubular members 16 and 18 in widely separated relative positions to provide the widest possible base. However, fupon approaching -a doorway or the like, it may be necessary to manipulate actuating lever 30 such as to bring the pivotally mounted tubular members 16 and 18 toward each other.

While the patient is thus :being tnansported 'from one location to another, the lift mechanism should -be positioned suoh that the extension or finger 42a. vorf lever 42v engages opening 36a of support member 36 to prevent K rotation of the lift mechanism.

With mounting frame 12 previously attached to the side aof the bath tub, as shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, if it is desired to place ythe patient in the tub,y it is rst necessary to attach the lifting device 1Y0 to the kframe. That is, device l@ can be moved aiong thefloor or 'other surface until the connection plates 26 kand 28 straddle tubular member 118 so` that the openings in These openings can be is as follows.

plates 26 and 2S are aligned with the thro-ugh central opening of tubular member 11S. if such alignment is not readily accomplished, it is merely necessary to vary the position of tubular member lM8 by loosening screws 116 so as to permit member il@ to move upwardly or downwardly with respect fto square shaft ii. When member 113 is in the proper position, screws 116 may be tightened to retain the same in such position.

Wirth the openings of connection plates 25 and 23 aligned with the opening loi tubular mem er 118, fit is merely necessary to drop locking pin ft2@ into its locking position as shovm in the drawings. As a result, lift device `1S) is firmly held in [the proper position relative to the -bath tub.

The patient on chair 54 can then be positioned over the tub merely by pivoting the entire lift mechanism about ibase IrC-.1. To accomplish this, it is rst necessary to actuate doot operated lever 42 suchas to retract end portion 12a thereof from within opening of shaft 36. Willen this has been accomplished, the entire lift mechanism including chair 5d can be rotated `on shaft 36, the latter rotating on bearing member dii. it is thus possible to position chair 54 Iover the bath tub so that suitable operation of the bleed valve controlled by screw 7S will eleot lowering of the patient into the tub.

in order to remove the patient from the tub, the reverse operation is employed.

rihroughout che aforedescribed ope-ration of lift device 1) in placing a patient in the tub or in removing him therefrom, the device 1i) is iirmly anchored to the side of the bath tub `by means of mounting frame 12. iso, the present invention provides means for quickly and :easily attaching the lift device to the mounting frame. Although l have shown and `described certain specic embodiments of my invention I am fully aware that many modiications thereof are possible.

I claim:

1. An invalid lift comprising, in combination, a movable base carrying a lift mechanism, a U-shaped mounting frame for straddiing the side of a bath tub and including means 'for attaching said frame thereto, and means for connecting said base to said frame comprising a vertically disposed track yon said frame and 'a tubular member adjustably mounted on said track, said connection means also including an apertured plate carried by said Vbase for movement therewith to a position of alignment of the aperture in said plate with said tubular member, said connection means further including a locking pin engageable with said plate and tubular member when in aligned relative position to thereby lirmly fasten said base to said bath tub.

2. An invalid lift comprising in combination, a base formed of tubular members mounted on substantially frictionless wheels to enable said base to be moved on a surface, a lift mechanism mounted on said -base for raising and lowering a patient, a generally U-shaped mounting frame for straddling the side of 1a bath tub `and including finger :operated fastening screws for attaching said frame thereto, and means for connecting said base to said .trame comprising a vertically disposed tubular member adjustably iixed to said frame and a pair o spaced apertured connecting plates on said base rfor movement therewith into alignment with the opposite ends of said tubular member, said connecting means further inciuding a Llocking pin linsertable in the aligned tubular mem er and apertuned piates, whereby said base can be firmly anchored to said frame during raising and lowering of the patient rotative to said bath tub.

3. An invaiid lift comprising in combination, a base formed of la pair of tubular members attached to a pair of connecting pilates for relative movement and mounted on substantially fniotionless wheels to enable said base to be moved on a surface, cam operating means on said connecting plates for adjusting the relative position of said tubular members, la cantilever @lift mechanism mounted on one end of said base forcraising and lowering a patient, a generally U-shaped mounting frame for straddling the side of a bath tub and incl-uding finger operated fastening screws for firmly attaching said frame thereto, and means for connecting said base to said frame comprising a tubular member fixed to said frame and a locking pin insertable therein, said connecting plates on said base being fommed with aligned apertures for alignment with said tubular member for receiving said locking pin, whereby said lift mechanism is firmly anchored to said bath tub during raising and lowering of said patient.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN INVALID LIFT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A MOVABLE BASE CARRYING A LIFT MECHANISM, A U-SHAPED MOUNTING FRAME FOR STRADDLING THE SIDE OF A BATH TUB AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID FRAME THERETO, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID BASE TO SAID FRAME COMPRISING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED TRACK ON SAID FRAME AND A TUBULAR MEMBER ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON SAID TRACK, SAID CONNECTION MEANS ALSO INCLUDING AN APERTURE PLATE CARRIED BY SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH TO A POSITION OF ALIGNMENT OF THE APERTURE IN SAID PLATE WITH SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID CONNECTION MEANS FURTHER INCLUDING A LOCKING PIN ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PLATE AND TUBULAR MEMBER WHEN IN ALIGNED RELATIVE POSITION TO THEREBY FIRMLY FASTEN SAID BASE TO SAID BATH TUB. 